James (Teumessian Trilogy Book 2) (13 page)

Chapter

23

James stayed on track as Ray had instructed him. Huntsman had a real affinity for James and had him by his side as often as he could. James played along. Chessy and Greg were kept separate from James while they were at the Embassy. They didn’t mind getting to spend less time with Huntsman, but were regularly getting placed on petty assignments. Chessy’s least favorite was babysitting the interns. However, she noticed an oddity when it came to the interns. Blossom had almost been promoted. She worked as Huntsman’s assistant. Leaving her and James regularly working side by side.

“He’s sleeping with her,” Chessy blurted out as the three of them returned to the apartment after a long week at the Embassy.

“Who’s sleeping with her and who are you talking about?” Greg asked, opening the refrigerator and grabbing a beer.

“Blossom. Huntsman is sleeping with her,” Chessy replied.

James laughed, “You have got to let that go. We have been at the Embassy for six months and I have never seen her and him do anything inappropriate.”

“Besides, she appears to be stuck on you, James,” Greg replied taking a drink.

James smiled, “Yah, no, I am good. She’s cute and all, but not my type.” James winked at Chessy.

“You’re not cute, so stop. Something is up with her. She has him like under a spell or something. Huntsman is obsessed with her.”

“She’s pretty and young, and he’s a dirty bird. Why are you so suspicious of this?” Greg questioned.

“She is stretching to find something because we have found nothing. Six months and nothing, but hours of playing nice with him. He’s not up to anything, this has been a waste of time. I am still more curious about Franklin,” James added.

“Personally I say go for it. Get a meeting with him and talk with him one on one. Huntsman seems to be in love with you, too, so I am sure he can arrange it,” Greg chuckled.

“Your thoughts?” James looked to Chessy.

“Go for it, but I still think she is up to something,” Chessy said as she retrieved a beer for herself. She grabbed a second one and tossed it to James, “You’re of age here,” she said with a laugh.

James smiled as he twisted the top off. He lifted it in the air, “To the most boring assignment they could have possibly of given us.”

Chessy and Greg raised their beers and laughed.

The following morning, they were awakened before the sun came up with the phone ringing. Chessy made it to the phone first. Greg and James heard it but pretended not to.

Chessy answered the phone, “Yes sir. We are on our way. I understand.”

James could hear Chessy running down the hallway, “Guys, we gotta move now!”

“What are you talking about?” James slurred out.

“That was Ray. The ambassador in France has been attacked. He’s dead. We have to report to Huntsman now!”

James and Greg jumped from their beds and the three got dressed in a hurry.

“There is a car waiting,” Chessy yelled, finishing getting dressed and readying her gun. Their suits on and guns readied, they quickly made their way to the awaiting car. They loaded up into the car and sat in silence as the car made its way to Huntsman’s residence.

“Did he say anything about Tim?” Greg questioned to Chessy.

James felt his heart drop; he had forgotten that Tim was stationed there.

“No, he said nothing. Just that the ambassador was killed and his wife was missing,” Chessy replied.

“So they think there is an attack on all of our ambassadors or do they have some intel?” James questioned.

“He didn’t say. Just that we were to get to Huntsman immediately and await further instructions,” Chessy replied calmly.

As calmly as they were trying to talk to each other, Tim's fate was weighing heavily on all three of them. As the car pulled up at the estate, they could see security was in full force.

They were waved through the gate and greeted by Angela at the front door. “The ambassador is still sleeping. He was awakened and informed of the situation but returned to bed shortly after. I ask that you remain quiet,” she instructed, as she lead them into the home.

They made their way up the stairs and to the room next to Huntsman’s bedroom.

“I have stationed agents and Marines around the perimeter. You are tasked with staying by his side.”

“Do you have any information on what the threat is?” James inquired.

“No, we don’t. Only that we lost an Ambassador today. I don’t intend to lose another,” Angela chided.

“Yes, ma’am,” Chessy replied.

“You are not to wake him. However, I have a camera in his room so you can watch him.” Angela handed Greg a tablet.

The three of them looked at it and saw Huntsman asleep in his bed.

“I will leave you three to it,” Angela said, walking from the room.

Greg looked up from the tablet to James and Chessy, “They have no intel on the possible threat? They have no idea what happened to our Ambassador in France? That makes no sense. Tim and Elliot are there. This feels really suspicious.”

“I agree, they must know something. Why are they keeping it from us? It is putting Huntsman in potential danger with us not having all the information,” Chessy said.

“Well, let’s just stay focused on keeping him alive. Hopefully we will hear from Ray at some point and will find out what happened. I just hope Tim is okay,” James added, taking the tablet from Greg and sitting down on the bed.

James looked at the bed, then back to Chessy and Greg. “They must have a surplus of these comforters,” James said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood.

Neither Chessy nor Greg looked amused. James looked back at the tablet screen. Huntsman was moving, he was getting up. “He’s up, let’s go,” James said, tossing the tablet down on the bed.

James left the room with Chessy and Greg in tow. He knocked on Huntsman’s door.

“Yes, who is it?” Huntsman yelled back.

“Sir, it’s James, Greg, and Franchesca. May we come in?”

“Well, she certainly can.” Huntsman said with a laugh.

Chessy rolled her eyes.

“Of course, come on in.”

James turned the doorknob and opened the door. Huntsman was standing next to his bed, wearing nothing but a red bathrobe. “So now the three of you get to spend all your time at my home? Do we have any evidence I am actually in danger?” Huntsman inquired, walking over to his oak desk.

“Sir, we have very little information right now, but a US Ambassador has been killed and his wife is missing,” Greg replied.

Huntsman looked to James. He could tell James was not paying attention, “James, wake up. You are out of it today. You aren’t scared are you?”

James looked to Huntsman, “No sir, but one of my friends was stationed at that Embassy. I am worried about him. I am sorry if I appear absent. I am here to protect you and will do my job,” James said, standing up straight.

Huntsman’s eyes softened, as he ran his hand through his hair again. “I’m sorry to hear that. I hope that he is alright. Which is more than I can say for poor William. And his wife is missing, correct?”

Chessy stepped forward, “Yes, sir.”

Huntsman huffed, “If you ask me, she killed him. I never liked Katrina. She was very demanding with him, always seemed like she had him by the balls.”

Chessy looked away.

Huntsman noticed and looked to James, “She probably caught him cheating and did away with him,” Huntsman said, as he walked to his bathroom. “I’m getting dressed. Please let me know when Blossom arrives.”

“Yes, sir,” James replied.

“I hate to say it, but I am praying Huntsman is right,” Greg said, looking at Chessy and James. They both nodded, but they had no faith that it was just a cheating husband taken out by his wife.

Chapter

24

Their fears were well justified. Ray had boarded a plane as soon as he got the call of the attack. He had arrived in France and was taken to the ambassador’s residence. The three story beige building with dark grey roof was the picture of old world elegance, but was now a crime scene. The grounds were littered with police tape. Members of both French and US authorities were present, conducting interviews and taking evidence. The car pulled around the front of the residence and before the car could even come to a full stop, Ray threw open the door and stepped out of the car and raced up to the front door. He was stopped at the doorway by a tall African American man in a black suit. “Sir, it is a bloodbath in there. I need to brief you before you go in.”

Ray was frazzled, “Those are my team members in there. I need to see what happened.”

“I understand that, sir. I have lost some of my own as well. However, the situation is complicated. I am Lucas Creed and I am the head of the secret service here at the US Embassy.”

Ray shook his head to get himself back on track, “Yes, I am sorry. It was a long flight, and I have been very concerned about my agents. Raymond Clayton, I am sorry we are meeting under these circumstances.”

Lucas took a deep breath, “We have evidence that it was his wife.”

Ray blinked rapidly, “What?”

“She killed all of them.”

“Katrina did this? No, that makes no sense. She is a bit bossy, but it is not possible for her to have taken out my three trained agents as well as yours. She has no history or training. She was a secretary!”

“One of your team members wasn’t killed instantly. He bled to death and before he did, he left a voice recording on his phone. He implicated her.”

Ray was in shock, “I want to hear this recording and I want to see the bodies.”

“Okay, everything is as we found it,” Lucas said, turning and leading Ray into the home.

Ray saw the carnage the minute he walked into the foyer. The white marble floor was splattered with blood. Two bodies sat near the front door, both necks were slit. Ray didn’t recognize them.

Lucas noticed, “They were mine. This way.” They climbed the staircase. Blood droplets littered the steps and railing. Another body lay in the hallway. It was Norma. Ray knelt down beside her body, brushed her dark hair from her face. Her neck had been snapped. Ray took a deep breath and stood back up. “Where are the rest of them?”

“In here,” Lucas directed, walking through the open door to their left.

Ray had seen a lot of carnage in his career, but never before blood covering an entire room like this. Elliot’s bloodied body lay to his left. He had multiple stab wounds covering his body. He had bled out, soaking the white rug red. The Ambassador William was sitting upright in his desk chair, a knife sticking out from the front of his throat. It had been left there as a message. It wasn’t what killed him. Ray looked closely at his body. Small gashes on his inner upper right arm, inner upper left arm, and the inside of both thighs. Four arteries were cut. He bled out in moments. Ray felt his heart race. He had seen this before while on an assignment in China. Another body sat on the floor to the right of the desk. It was one of Lucas’s team members. Her neck was snapped as well. Ray scanned the room and saw a blood trail leading from the room to the closet on the far right. He followed it and slowly opened the door. Ray let out a deep sigh as he stared at Tim’s lifeless body. He had multiple stab wounds and appeared to have bled out in the closet.

“This is where we found the evidence.” Lucas pointed to the phone sitting next to Tim’s body. “We hit play on the recording.”

Ray was listening but was already looking at the phone, “May I pick it up?” Lucas nodded. Ray picked up the phone and hit the center button. The phone lit up. The phone had the record app open with one recording. Ray took a moment to ready himself for what he was going to hear, Tim’s last words. Ray’s hand was almost shaking as he pressed the play button.

Tim’s voice was clear the minute it started, but his breathing was heavy, “This is Timothy Clark, and I am an interpreter at the US Embassy in France. I have been attacked and received multiple stab wounds. My attacker is Katrina Drake, the ambassador’s wife. She is highly trained in the use of a knife and physical combat. It was a trap. She called and had us come to the ambassador’s residence stating that she was concerned for her husband’s safety. Once we arrived, we were greeted by dead bodies. We never stood a chance. She believed I was dead, but I know you will not get to me in time. She is dangerous and I don’t know her motives or other targets. Please get this to Raymond Clayton. He will know what to do and tell my family, I love them.”

Ray could hear Tim gasping for air on the recording as his breathing stopped. Ray placed the phone down on the desk and hurried from the room.

Lucas was confused and followed, “Sir?” he questioned. “If you know something, I need to be brought into the loop.”

Ray spun to face Lucas, “The injuries on William, they were distinctive, a calling card. I have seen it before in China.”

“Okay, who did that killing?”

“I don’t know, but I have a nagging suspicion that Katrina is tied to that killing as well. I want everything you have on her.”

“Hold up, this is my investigation. We work together or not at all,” Lucas barked.

Ray realized he needed to keep friends, not make enemies, “You are right. I am sorry, but we need to apprehend her as soon as possible. We need to get in contact with all our Embassies to make contact with the authorities in their countries. We need every law enforcement body looking for her.”

“I agree. I will make contact with the FBI and will get her on the top of the most wanted list and I will contact Interpol.”

“I will handle our other Embassies,” Ray said, reaching out his hand for Lucas to shake.

Lucas extended his hand and shook Ray’s, “We will catch her and make her pay.”

Ray just nodded his head.

Ray then quickly made his way out of the building to his waiting car. Ray slammed the door shut and turned to the driver. “Airport now, I need a plane ready to take me to London.”

“Yes, sir,” the man replied, picking up his phone and making a call.

Ray was doing the same, “John, I need you to send everything we have on Katrina to my phone. She killed William and our team. She has training, serious training. I have seen work like hers before and I need to find the connection.”

Ray heard a moment of silence on the other end, then John spoke, “Ray, she was a nobody. Met him at a party and they got married within six months. We had no indicator that she was anything more than a gold digger.”

“That’s why I am so worried now. She appeared to be nothing, but was apparently a sleeper of some kind. Someone activated her, someone gave her the order to take them out. How many more Katrinas could we have?”

“Oh, God,” John let out.

“Contact all our teams, to keep their guard up for female companions of our Ambassadors. This may be a team. I am heading to London to touch base with our team there. Tim could have been targeted for his association with James. She called the team in to take them out. The ambassador was already dead. Our team was the target.”

“It’s done. Katrina’s information should be on your phone. I will keep in touch.”

“Thank you,” Ray replied as he hung up the phone. He opened the file that John had sent him. Katrina’s picture opened up immediately. Ray just stared at her picture, her long red hair draping on her shoulder. Her sweet friendly smile and bright green eyes staring back at him. “Who are you?” he questioned, staring at her picture. Ray clicked on the picture and sent it to James’s phone. Within moments James called Ray.

“Sir, this photo. What am I to do with it?” James questioned before Ray could even say hello.

“Katrina Drake. She is the prime suspect in the death of our ambassador in France. She is armed and dangerous. You are to be on the watch for her. Please contact the prime minister and make him aware of the danger.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Be on your guard for young women in the company of powerful men. She was his wife and appears to have been a sleeper agent. There may be more of them.” Ray heard nothing in reply from James, “James, do you hear what I am saying?”

“Yes, yes sir,” James replied, but his mind was racing; young women close to powerful men. James turned to look at Blossom standing next to Huntsman at his desk. “I will take care of it personally.”

“Good, I am on my way from France. I will speak with the three of you when I get there.”

“Yes sir,” James replied hanging up the phone. Chessy and Greg had both been trying to listen in the call but heard nothing. Once James hung up, he looked directly at the two of them.

“What did he say?” Greg questioned.

Huntsman heard, “Yes, do you have any updates?

James looked to all of them, “Yes, I need to make contact with the Prime Minister. We have a chief suspect in the ambassador’s death and we need to make sure he is aware for all law enforcement to be put on watch.”

“Well, don’t keep me in suspense. Who killed poor William?” Huntsman questioned.

“It appears you were correct sir, it was his wife.”

Huntsman almost smiled, “See, I called it, told you he was messing around on her.”

“Yes, it looks like it sir, but I need to speak with Franklin to get him up to speed.”

“Yes of course, Blossom, please get in touch with the Prime Minister and let him know James here will be coming over to speak with him.”

“My pleasure, sir,” Blossom said with a smile, picking up the telephone. As Blossom was on the phone, Huntsman sat down on his couch and started texting on his phone.

James turned to Chessy and Greg and whispered, “Watch her like a hawk. She may be here to harm Huntsman.”

“What?” Chessy questioned.

“I don’t have time to explain now, just be on your watch for her,” James finished as Blossom was hanging up the phone.

“He is waiting for you. A car will take you over,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you.”

“Tell Franklin I said hello since I am apparently still under house arrest,” Huntsman said with a laugh.

“I will,” James replied as he walked from the room. As he approached the door, he looked back and locked eyes with Blossom. He couldn’t help but think she was up to something as he left the room and made his way to the waiting car. James was perfectly still the entire ride. His mind was racing. He would be alone with Franklin. Should he take the risk and push the issue or stay on track? He had to do right by his team and follow orders but could he get some of his own answers as well? James was greeted at the door by Franklin’s secretary and escorted up the stairs to Franklin’s office. She knocked twice on the door and Franklin’s voice called back, “Come in.”

She opened the door and called back, “Sir, James Gold is here to see you on behalf of the US Embassy.”

“Please come in James,” Franklin replied, waving his hand for James to enter.

James stepped into the office, “Sir, thank you for seeing me.”

“James, please take a seat. I have received a message with a photo and a request to make getting her a number one priority, but that is all. Can you please enlighten me as to why this woman is wanted for murder?” Franklin said, holding up a photo of Katrina.

James took the seat across from Franklin’s desk. As he did, he noticed a small pin on the inside of Franklin’s blue jacket. It was a fox. James thought it was weird to wear a pin on the inside of a jacket, but he ignored his wandering mind and refocused, “Yes sir, she is the prime suspect in the murder of her husband William Drake, our ambassador in France.”

Franklin set the photo down on the desk and leaned back in his chair, “So a lover’s quarrel puts her at the top of the most wanted list?” Franklin questioned, puzzled.

“I have very little information on what actually happened, but we were told be on the lookout for young women spending a lot of time around our ambassador and that they may be a threat. I fear more has happened than we have been told.”

Franklin’s eyes widened, “Young women as a potential threat? What kind of threat?”

“Sir, I wish I knew more, but that is what I know. They want her apprehended without delay and want to know you will cooperate with bringing her to justice,” James said, sitting back in his chair.

Franklin smiled, “We will cooperate with helping the US in bringing a young woman to justice for murder. However, I doubt we will be of any help. This happened in France. I don’t think she would come here looking for help.” As Franklin was speaking, the light in the room reflected on a shiny object under Franklin’s desk, catching James’s eye. He figured it must be a pen.

James reached for it, “Sir, it looks like you dropped a pen.” As James’s hand made contact, he felt that it wasn’t a pen and picked it up. It was a dart. James looked at it and then to Franklin. Franklin looked like he had been shot. “What’s this?” James asked, turning it and looking at it more closely. James felt a shock to his system when he saw it, ‘Soldat Ind’ on the side. “Where did you get this?” James questioned, confused.

“I have no idea where that came from. Are we done here?” Franklin replied, his face was drained of color.